Eclectic Technology
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Eclectic Technology
Tech tools that assist all students to be independent learners & teachers to become better teachers
Curated by Beth Dichter
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Instead of Framing ‘Failure’ As a Positive, Why Not Just Use Positive Words?

Instead of Framing ‘Failure’ As a Positive, Why Not Just Use Positive Words? | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
The importance of positive language within how society conceptualizes learning is evident for the growth of student potential and learning.
Beth Dichter's insight:

In education failure is a negative word, but talk with engineers that they will tell you that they learn from failure. In this post there is a quote from Alfie Kohn "Although there are exceptions, the most likely consequence of having failed at something is that a child will come to see himself as lacking competence. And the result of that belief is apt to be more failure."

The post continues with a discussion on a study that took place in Finland where faculty in a middle school chose to implement "a final project where each student would produce a concrete artifact to denote their learning." This process discuss the learning journey of their students, which led them to discover that they were often using negative terms to describe students, which led them to discuss assumptions that were being made by them about their students. Click through to the post to learn what was learned and how you might choose to change your language in your classroom.

Dr. Helen Teague's curator insight, May 31, 2014 11:18 AM

Beth Dichter's insight:

In education failure is a negative word, but talk with engineers that they will tell you that they learn from failure. In this post there is a quote from Alfie Kohn "Although there are exceptions, the most likely consequence of having failed at something is that a child will come to see himself as lacking competence. And the result of that belief is apt to be more failure."

The post continues with a discussion on a study that took place in Finland where faculty in a middle school chose to implement "a final project where each student would produce a concrete artifact to denote their learning." This process discuss the learning journey of their students, which led them to discover that they were often using negative terms to describe students, which led them to discuss assumptions that were being made by them about their students. Click through to the post to learn what was learned and how you might choose to change your language in your classroom.

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A Learning Journey - Who is in Charge?

A Learning Journey - Who is in Charge? | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
Every student has a learning journey, but who is in charge of that journey? When you think about a great teacher, what comes to mind? A teacher who cares, excites, motivates and inspires? What abou...
Beth Dichter's insight:

What makes a great teacher? This post explores this question providing some insightful ideas from a variety of writings as well as two additional images that you may want to print out and share with teachers in your school.

Below are some questions you may want to consider.

* Should students be supported in risk taking, know that the end product may not be successful?

* As teachers should be be driving the train, or allowing students to share the role as conductor?

* Should students be problem solvers or should they be problem finders?

There is much food for thought in this post and you may be rethinking your teaching this year after you read it.

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How Your Emotions Affect Your Student's Learning

How Your Emotions Affect Your Student's Learning | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

"Twenty-five sets of wary eyes are gazing at you. The air in the room is thick with tension, and the owners of the twenty-five pair of eyes are shifting in their seats. Fifty legs become restless and the squeaks of tennis shoes and flats rubbing against the linoleum floor get louder and louder.

Is it time for a big test? Was the classroom scolded? Is it the last day of school, perhaps? No, it is none of the above. They are reacting to the anxiety and negative emotions that you brought into the classroom."

Beth Dichter's insight:

Have you considered how your emotions may impact your students? This post explores this issue, specifically how your emotions may affect your student's learning. 

The post begins with the limbic system, a system that helps us "to communicate, bond, and respond to stimuli." Many factors may impact the limbic system, including stress, and this may shut the system down.

The discussion continues as the post explores how your bad day may impact your students, and also provides suggestions on what you can do to "help keep from spreading those emotional germs."

It is the rare teacher that does not experience a bad day at least once a year...and the suggestions in this post may help alleviate some of the issues that arise from such a day.

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5 Essential Questions About ePortfolios - Getting Smart by Susan Lucille Davis - edchat, EdTech, eportfolio

5 Essential Questions About ePortfolios - Getting Smart by Susan Lucille Davis - edchat, EdTech, eportfolio | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
You have - no doubt - tuned in to the buzz about ePortfolios. Digital portfolios certainly were the talk of ISTE 2012 in June.

This post provides links to resources for ePortfolios as well as asking five essential questions.

* Whose ePortfolio is it?

* Who will read the ePorfolio, and for what purpose?

* Who will curate and organize the materials of an ePortfolio?

* What shape will the ePortfolio take, and where should it be housed?

* What is the teacher's role?

When choosing to move in the direction of ePortfolios there are many questions that we need to answer. This post helps us begin to think deeply about issues that surround the use and management of ePortfolios.

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A Significant Error That Policymakers Commit

A Significant Error That Policymakers Commit | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

"As a result of inhabiting a different world than teachers, policymakers make a consequential error. They and a cadre of influentials confuse teacher quality with teaching quality, that is, the personal traits of teachers—dedicated, caring, gregarious, intellectually curious—produce student learning rather than the classroom and school settings. Both are important, of course, but policymakers and their influential camp followers have accentuated personal traits far more than the organizational and social context in which teachers teach daily. So if students score low on tests, then who the teachers are, their personal traits, credentials, and attitudes come under close scrutiny, rather than the age-graded school, neighborhood demography, workplace conditions, and resources that support teaching. The person overshadows the place.[i]"

This article goes on to explore the concept of quality teaching (and teaching quality), what is good teaching, what is successful teaching, and more. There is more to consider as we look at these issues than meets the eye.

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Is Reverse Instruction Education Technology’s Perfect Storm? | Emerging Education Technology

Is Reverse Instruction Education Technology’s Perfect Storm? | Emerging Education Technology | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
Flipping the classroom is a technology-enabled technique that can make a significant difference in student learning and academic success, and is well suited for...
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AMAZING FACTS ABOUT STUDENTS LEARNING VIA SMARTPHONES ( INFOGRAPHIC )

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT STUDENTS LEARNING VIA SMARTPHONES ( INFOGRAPHIC ) | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
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Pedagogy...Technology...Which Should Come First?

Pedagogy...Technology...Which Should Come First? | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

"...using technology does not necessarily make a teacher effective. I am going to repeat that, because I want this to be very clear: technology is not pedagogy. I actually learned that lesson the hard way. I spent my first two months as a teacher building a paperless, hybrid-online, flipped classroom using Moodle, and marching students through standards by having them click through links and complete digital quizzes and activities."

Beth Dichter's insight:

What comes first? Pedagogy or Technology? This post explores this issue. It also includes a great visual "Let's stop talking about teaching with technology, and let's start talking about learning." The visual is in Google Docs and you can download it at:

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1FjgMrO6d_3B6NBFLhteCjP5EGWaZymOYIRrWtJLt8PY/edit

The visual shown above is also used in a free online course you may want to check out. For more information on the course: http://www.edtechchallenge.com/

Viljenka Savli (http://www2.arnes.si/~sopvsavl/)'s curator insight, February 14, 2014 4:24 AM

Here is a nice example of evolution of a teacher approach to ICT :)

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Can Digital Games Boost Students’ Test Scores? | MindShift

Can Digital Games Boost Students’ Test Scores? | MindShift | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it
A new report released today reveals the results attempting to answer the question: do digital games and simulation help students studying science, technology, math, and engineering achieve better learning outcomes?
Beth Dichter's insight:

To what extend do digital games boost students' test scores in STEM? According to the preliminary data released by SRI "students at the median in the control group (no games) could have been raised 12 percent in cognitive learning outcomes if they had received the digital game." (From an analysis of 77 peer-reviewed journal articles K-16 in STEM.)

And it turns out that simulations may create a larger impact.

Take a look at this post and see where gamification may be heading in the future!

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Gaming Gains Respect - Digital Games on the Rise in the Classroom

Gaming Gains Respect - Digital Games on the Rise in the Classroom | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

What happens when you allow students to play 'games' in the classroom?  Based on the games  you may see problem solving skills, tinkering skills, basic physics, trial and error, collaboration, coaching, and more.

This post by Will Richardson explores how games are on the rise in classrooms and the potential impact on student learning. Participatory games have been developed to help students learn curriculum while providing "a challange-based context for students to work within." Much more information may be found in this post.

HuntAll's comment, August 5, 2012 8:17 AM
http://huntall.com/apples-case-against-samsung-in-three-pictures
Nancy Jones's comment, August 5, 2012 10:37 AM
Thanks for this and all your other great resources
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Three Important Distinctions In How We Talk About Test Scores

Three Important Distinctions In How We Talk About Test Scores | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

"In education discussions and articles, people (myself included) often say “achievement” when referring to test scores, or “student learning” when talking about changes in those scores. These words reflect implicit judgments to some degree (e.g., that the test scores actually measure learning or achievement)."

This article explores three "common terms or phrases" that are used when talking about test scores, that are not understood. This is a guide that will help you understand how certain terms are "used or misused" in the area of standardized testing.

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Learning Analytics: Lots of Education Data... Now What?

Learning Analytics: Lots of Education Data... Now What? | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

"What is learning analytics – as a field of study, as a practice, as a set of tools, as a way to collect and analyze educational data? What are we tracking, and to what end?

This article provides a working definition and then explores a number of questions, raising the importation notion that learning analytics should be used to help us support "student learning."

A number of issues are also raised such as "Do we tell students what data we collect and how we are going to use it? Do students dontrol and do they own their learning data?" 

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Connected Learning

Connected Learning | Eclectic Technology | Scoop.it

Are you interested in learning more about Connected Learning? Check out this website for more information. The site discusses what is connected learning, sponsors a weekly webinar, has case studies and much more.

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